Beautiful Dragons
by tiana-thy-shakspearian-banana
Summary: Cold skies would burn, white plains would be tainted with lithe, black creatures, wreaking havoc in their wake... and only two girls have the potential to stop the deaths of the Nirn, but they are not the heroic warriors from the children's tales... A Bosmer assassin who suffers from nightly terrors and an half-Nord who can't stand the sight of blood. Lucien Lachance/F!D Vilkas/F!D
1. Fiery Escape

**A:N**

**Sorry this Chapter's a little short :) More a prologue than anything.**

**Don't forget to review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Elder Scrolls, only my characters. **

Nhallyia scowled, shivering in her little clothing as the door the brothel swung open, revealing another patron.

She didn't actually work as a whore, she was a barmaid, and the protection for any of the girls who needed it. In other words, she was the girl who beat the living shit out of rather… Unsavory clients.

The man, presumably a Nord, gave her a filthy smile that made her want to scrub every fibre of her being in the bath.

"Hey, sweetheart," he drawled drunkenly, swaying slightly.

"Too much mead? Want another?" She asked, ignoring his comment, or, rather, the tone he said it in.

He leant further toward her, smiling suggestively. "Nah, honey. I want somethin' else…"

Nhallyia sighed, running her hand down her face. When would it click to people like this that the young Bosmer girl, was in fact, _TOO_ young. She wasn't actually working in the small, dingy brothel on the outskirts of the Imperial Waterfront, behind the "Great" Imperial City, by choice, but was actually in service to the Madame who owned the horrible place. Her and her best friend, Ahria, who was a pretty half Redguard and Nord.

Ahria cleared her throat behind Nhallyia, placing a larger hand on the slender girl's shoulder.

"Just tell him that you're only sixteen, then he'll leave you alone," she whispered, pausing, "that is unless he's a complete and utter creep… If that's the case…"

"Then I'll plant my staff into his skull," she muttered, turning her head slightly towards her lifelong friend.

Ahria smirked, patting Nhallyia's shoulder twice, whispering, "Good girl."

Nhallyia rolled her eyes playfully, turning back to the intoxicated man.

"Sorry sir, I can't provide that for you. But here's a menu of our extensive list of food that has nothing to do with the female anatomy," she smiled sweetly, handing him a menu… He didn't get the message.

"But I want to eat _you_," he said, quite loudly albeit.

Her patience was wearing thin.

"Sir, you need to see Frelda about that. I'm only sixteen, therefore I'm not for hire… More a decoration, really. Frelda's the pretty blonde-haired Nord over there, now please leave or I'll be forced to set you on fire."

He smiled, yet again, and snaked his arm around her shoulders over the counter, "Age is only a number, sweetheart…"

Her last thread of tolerance for the disgusting man had not only been cut, but had been frozen, shot with numerous arrows, set alight, diced up, stomped on, fed to a slaughterfish, regurgitated, eaten by a dragon and sent to the void.

"_**YOU WILL LEAVE RIGHT NOW OR I SWEAR TO SITHIS I WILL END YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW!**_" his arm shot back if shocked by lightning, and he quickly stumbled away.

Nhallyia took a deep breath, attempting to gain composure, but her rage was growing quickly.

Ahria gently nudged her with her elbow, "Don't worry 'bout it, Lyia. He got the message."

"I hope so," she growled in a dangerously low tone whilst clenching her fists, watching the now upset Nord talking to the Madame, Frelda.

Frelda shot Nhallyia a deadly look, making the young elf freeze. The tall woman slowly strode to where she stood behind the counter.

"Ahem, I would like to talk to_ both_ of you in private," Frelda stated, gesturing towards the door into one of the rooms. Aria and Nhallyia exchanged looks, then followed the Madame cautiously.

* * *

When they arrived, the Madame closed the door, eying both girls angrily, "I have been informed that you have been treating a customer badly, would I be correct? Don't answer. You both know that the customer is _always_ correct, no matter the situation. And here you are screaming like a spriggan and threatening death. Is that the way to treat a patron?"

Nhallyia blinked, taken aback, "He tried to hire me, milady. I'm under aged, yet he insisted. It was the only way to get him off my back."

"We both know you're mature enough to start working properly," she growled.

"With all due respect," Ahria started, brow furrowed, "Nhallyia hasn't even passed her eighteenth winter, and won't for another two years. It's not fair to force her to do this at sixteen."

Frelda's scowl deepened and she took a warning step towards the dark-skinned girl. She had round, green eyes framed by long, dark brown lashes and dark, arched brows. She also had a straight nose with a slight bump in the bridge from where it had been broken when she was young. Her Redguard skin and dirty-blonde Nordic hair gave her a charmingly unique look, and her muscular frame gave her the look of a warrior, paired with the two dark purple stripes she painted onto her wide cheekbones daily. She was quite pretty, but looked dangerous as well.

"Ahria, be quiet. You encouraged her, therefore you shall also get punished."

Nhallyia took a threatening step forwards, baring her teeth, "You keep her out of this, Frelda."

The Nordic woman struck her, bringing her open palm across her beautiful face. The elf was a completely different beauty than Ahria, holding a stealthy, cat-like appearance. Her eyes were large but slightly slanted, one being yellow and the other purple, both surrounded by black, thick and long eyelashes. Her lips were full and naturally held a red tinge, as did her cheeks. Her high cheekbones were dusted lightly with freckles and her nose was pointed, as was her chin. She was tall for a Bosmer, and held a slender and long-legged but curvaceous figure. Her skin was sun-kissed and her hair was ebony, her wing-like eyebrows sharing the same color.

"_**QUIET**_! Insolent child! You will both offer the Nord that requested you your services and I will hear nothing except agreement."

Both Ahria and Nhallyia's mouths fell open. Frelda left the room, and, after a few moments, the disgusting Nord strode in with a huge smile plastered to his face.

"Oh, this will be fun," he murmured whilst eyeing Nhallyia up and down.

He approached Ahria first, backing her up to a wall and letting his hand skim down her face. She stayed resilient, calmly pushing him away, but he just pinned her again. His hands ventured down.

Nhallyia watched the man, she watched her best friend's panicked face, and her rage returned, hotter than ever. She felt something hot in her hand, and before she knew what, exactly, she was doing, she hurled a huge fireball at the man assaulting Ahria.

He screamed in pure agony as he fell to the ground, and to most, it would have been borderline torture, but to her his pain was bliss… It was satisfying…

'_What am I becoming?...' _She thought, and her smile faltered. Ahria's shouts brought her back to reality and out of her disturbing thoughts.

"_**RUN! THE PLACE IS BURNING!**_" Ahria's voice was laced with fear and… Relief?

Nhallyia's eyes skimmed the room to find that it was indeed burning. Smoke clogged the air and embers sprayed as flames licked the ceiling. She franticly searched for a window to jump out of, seeing as how the flames had spread through the rest of the building, running to the door through the many corridors would mean death.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the sight of an open window on the right wall, and, taking Ahria's hand, sprinted through the flames to it.

They leapt, flying momentarily before landing in a fleshy, coughing and spluttering heap in the grass.

Ahria and Nhallyia untangled themselves and stood, bathing in the sight of the huge building burning.

"We're free…" Ahria whispered, grasping her best friends hand, smiling.

That's when they heard the footsteps of the Guard.

Both girls fled, sprinting down the cobblestone paths, and into an abandoned house by the water.

* * *

"We can't stay here," Ahria muttered, shivering by the fire.

"Thanks for that, Emperor obvious," Nhallyia said, each word dripping with sarcasm.

Ahria rolled her eyes and continued to speak, ignoring her best friend's comment, "Where can we go? Nowhere around here, that's for sure."

"We can't stay in Cyrodil in general, Ahri. They've already figured out that we were the only survivors, therefore pinning us with the bounty. We're wanted in every city from Cheydinhal to Bruma to Anvil to Leyawin!" Nhallyia exclaimed, trying to figure out which province was safest.

"Well, we can't go to Elswyrr, Blackmarsh or any of the elf provinces because the Argonians and Khajiit's will shun us and the Thalmor will kill me and hire you. We're more suited to the cold, so that crosses out Hammerfell, Morrowind's goddam uninhabitable and High Rock's full of Bretons… That only leaves…" Ahria started.

"Skyrim." Nhallyia finished with a determined expression.

"Well, get some sleep. We have a big day of travelling ahead of us," Ahria smirked, laying down in the dusty bedroll.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Nhallyia whispered, thinking about the cold winds of Skyrim.

There would be no sleep… Only dreams of ice and snow…

But Skyrim would hold much more than that… She knew it… But what, she didn't know.


	2. Ice And Snow

**A:N**

**Hey guys, second chapter's up. Oh, and, turns out this is going to be the normal length of chapters because I am the laziest fuck of them all. :D**

**Credit to this chap goes to my friend Blossomsarefalling, for she originally wrote it, and I BETA'd it. Every second chap is hers, we're writing this together. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim (DAMNATION!)**

**P.S. Sorry if Ahria goes a bit awkward penguin in this chapter. **

* * *

Fire and death danced behind her eyelids, the events of the burning of the brothel playing through her mind. Although none had expected it of them, they had both enjoyed it. Ahria had loved the way the man had burnt, his foul smell disappearing under a cloud of smoke and Nhallyia had loved the way the man had screamed, not in pleasure which was a sound she had became well accustomed to, but in pain and death.

Ahria woke with a start, a slight sweat on her brow. The room was dark and silent, shadows flickering off the walls from the fire. Outside, a mutt howled. She sighed, her chest rising and falling and fell back onto the bed roll. She tried to fall back into the sweet and coma-like embrace of sleep, but it seemed to evade her. So she thought, as she often did, her mind turning back to what had happened earlier today, and the conversation they had had last night. Skyrim. Legends told of its cities where apparently there where rivers flowing of gold and wine. Where woman were free to fight, but those where just stories…right?

But she had heard more then just stories of Skyrim. She had heard that there where cities run by thieves, assassins that came on request. She had heard of giants in the frost and of…dragons. She knew of these stories well, she often would eavesdrop on people conversations and had acquired a skill for it. But would theses stories be true?

Ahria frowned, something which she didn't do often. The frown hardened her face and made her seem older. One set of particular words, from all the stories and legends, stuck in her mind. Riften and the Brotherhood.

"Hey," she whispered, eliciting a groan from Nhallyia, who was now awake. She looked at her with eyes that Ahria envied, golden and purple.

"What's the matter? Is someone outside?" she whispered, her beautiful orbs flicking to the window next to the door.

"No, its just.." Ahria tried to find the right words, but failed.

"Listen, we have to make more plans then just going to Skyrim. What are we going to do after that?" her voice was strained with a hardly concealed fear.

She was afraid, very afraid, but she knew she could not let anyone see it. They had both had been taught from a young age that being afraid was a weakness, a parasite. It did nothing but to lessen your guard.

"I have a plan. A small one, but a plan," Nhallyia cocked a slender, dark eyebrow at her friend.

Ahria whispered, with the fear of speaking out loud, "The Dark Brotherhood"

Instantly, Nhallyia was up, the glint of alarm replaced with interest.

"What are you suggesting, Ahria?" Nhallyia asked, smirking mischievously. She had always been one for the dark arts.

"We don't need to hire them."

"No," Ahria said, curling a strand of straight, blond hair around her finger.

"No. I was thinking maybe we could," she took a deep breath, "join them?"

To tell the truth, Ahria didn't think she would have much luck joining them. Nhallyia was much more agile than her. She moved with a certain grace that Ahria could not mimic.

She was much more the "Oh shit I fell over again please excuse me," type of girl. Even if she did join them, she didn't think she would survive long.

Their conversation was broken as dawn light flowered the room, stopping the shadows.

"Come on," Nhallyia said, lifting herself with more grace then Ahria could muster if her life depended on it, "we have a lot to do."

Ahria followed, putting out the fire with quick stamps of her feat, for a second, it felt like she was crushing someone's head under her foot, and a snarl of victory crossed her mouth. Then she stopped, taken aback and disgusted. When had she ever become so violent?

Nhallyia and Ahria hadn't had time to take anything from the brothel as it burned, so they were left with nothing but their clothes… And they certainly couldn't sell those, so they were completely broke.

Smoke still hung in the air, suspend in time, as the two girls walked out of the house, unconsciously rubbing their arms. Their breath hung in the air, but they did not stop for breakfast or delay, as much as they wanted to.

They walked into the Great Forest, disappearing from view like morning fog. Both girls stomachs rumbled and Ahria knew that Nhallyia would be the most hungry, because despite the fact that she was slender, she had the appetite of an ogre.

Sadness and numbness were the only two expressions which crossed their faces. Their small clothes had been covered by furs that they had found in the abandoned house, but the furs had been for decoration, just like them.

"Hey," Ahria said in a joking tone, walking closer to Nhallyia, "At least we didn't have to eat that stupid inn food again. It was so un-_INN_viteful"

She smiled, nudging Nhallyia, and waggling her slightly lighter eyebrows.

"By The Nine, kill me now!" She feigned exasperation and threw her hands into the air.

Ahria laughed, even when they were on the run, Nhallyia still found it in herself to be sarcastic.

She had been thinking about how she would trade anything to have a hot soup in her belly and her stomach rumbled again.

"Gods, I'm hungry… I'd kill someone just for a mug of ale…"

She faded off, whatever she was about to say lost.

Nhallyia merely looked at her like she was mad.

After a long silence, Ahria said, "I didn't mind you killing the man. It was kind of…fun to watch…"

Nhallyia stopped in her tracks, raising an eyebrow in her direction, but said nothing. It was strange, to see someone who she had known for a long time of her life to come out and say something completely uncharacteristic.

It was her that was mostly known for her murderous tenancies, but she guessed that even Ahria could be pushed to her limits… She shivered, not at the cold, but at the thought of Ahria getting angry. She didn't think_ that_ would be a pretty site for the victim.

Ahria's mind, however, was on different things. Their feet trod silently on the ground, almost unnoticeable, but Ahria thought that it sounded to loud. She heard the clank of armor, and she could tell that Nhallyia heard it to by the way she perked up.

She only had time to wish that they were armed before something cold and hard hit her in the head.

* * *

Rumble…Rumble…Bump…Creak…Voices…

The sound reached her ears instantly. It took her little more then seconds to realize that she was bound and gagged, as was Nhallyia, and they were apparently on a moving object.

Nhallyia's head hurt as if it had been sat on by a troll, and it was intensified by her hunger. Ahria's ropes chaffed her limbs and she made a sour face when she tried to move, making the binds chafe more, she surveyed their surroundings.

They were on a weatherworn wagon, guards marched around them, blocking any sign of escape.

"So, the little girls are awake? Took your time," a guard sneered awfully in their direction. Woods surrounded them as there cart was pushed along by large, Skyrim bred horses.

The sun hung high in the sky and Ahria couldn't help but notice that they air was colder and damper. How long had they been out?

She prodded Nhallyia's foot with her toes. Beautiful mismatched eyes met hers, looking to old for her youthful, flawless face.

The perverted guard continued to watch him, his comrades focusing on the road. He looked them up and down, as if sizing them up.

"I wonder how we could torture you. I mean, I could use the normal way of torturing people, with severe pain, or I could use a potions and magic… Or something a little more enjoyable…" he looked at Nhallyia, "What do you think?"

"I think we should flay you and wear you as a cloak, what do you think?" Nhallyia spat at the man, he just shook his head, undaunted.

"You girls did burn down my favorite brothel," he said, holding up a wanted sign with both their faces scrawled onto it, "you will have to pay somehow."

Ahria's breath caught in her throat, but she could no longer focus on him, because the cart whisked around a bend in the road, exposing another lane of seemingly endless woods. Her hope, which had been to see a city or some way of escape, died instantly.

"Hey," she whispered to Nhallyia, keeping an eye on the guards "are…do you have a plan?"

"Unfortunately not, Ahri," Was all Nhallyia was able to say, and for the first time ever, she thought she saw a stray tear run down the elf's cheek.

The blonde Nord sitting across from them seemed to notice as well, for his gaze turned from hard to pitying.

"Then let the gods be with us," Ahria started, looking up into the sky, "For I believe death awaits…"


	3. The Black Scaled Beast

**A:N  
Sorry about the delayed update, guys :)**  
***gasp* Ralof's P.O.V!**  
**Disclaimer: I own nothing... (cry in a corner) **  
**Oh! But I do own Nhallyia and Ahria! But if you steal them I'll rip out your entrails and jump rope with them.**

Ralof looked at the two girls sitting in the cart in front of him with sadness in his eyes. They both looked so helpless at first, young and barely dressed, curled up against each other. And when they awoke, startled and confused, he legitimately felt sorry for them.

The Imperial Guard started to threaten them, and by the look on their faces, the Redguard was about to cry… And the elf was about to murder somebody, namely the pig-like Imperial.

"What do you think?" he directed this at the elf, a smug smile written across his gaunt face.

"I think we should flay you and wear you as a cloak, what do you think?" she bit back, venom laced into her words, completely shattering the façade of innocence.

He turned around, looking genuinely frightened, but to the young girls, he seemed unfazed, "You did burn down my favorite brothel," the man said calmly, holding up an Imperial City wanted sign that held pictures of their faces, "you will have to pay somehow."

The girls whispered among themselves, and after a few moments, fell silent, a tear running down the elf's cheek.

"Where did you get picked up?" he asked, attempting to break the awkward silence that had engulfed them.

"On the border of the Heartlands and the Jerrall Mountains," the elf answered, her strange mismatched eyes meeting his, "just off Bruma, actually… How long have we been out?"

"Ever since I got on this cart five days ago, probably longer."

The dark-skinned blonde cocked an eyebrow, "That long? By The Nine…"

"And where are we exactly? I don't recognize this place, and I've been all over Cyrodil," her face was puzzled.

"That's because we're not in Cyrodil, I thought that was blatantly obvious," the dirty Nord in rags sitting next to him spat aggressively.

The elf rolled her eyes, saying nothing.

"Where are the rest of your clothes?" Ralof was getting quite irritated with this man…

"Would you believe me if I said that Sheogorath ripped them up whilst looking for his lettuce?" she asked, keeping a completely neutral expression.

He scrunched up his face, throwing his hands in the air, "_What_? No!"

"Then I suppose we have a problem," she paused, looking thoughtful, "damn bloody lettuce."

* * *

Nhallyia drowned out the men's conversation, staring down at her slender fingers whilst humming an uneven, wobbly tune. She was normally a beautiful singer… But with the weight of her coming death, she couldn't find her voice.

"Where do you think they're taking us?" Ahria's small voice sounded from next to her, quivering slightly from both the dreaded frost and fear.

"Wherever it is… We're going to make it out alive," Ahria smiled, a genuine smile that seemed to light up her face… _'At least one of us believes it…' _

They turned another corner, showing a long, cobblestone road to a small village.

"General Tullius… Leader of the Imperials… And it looks like the Thalmor are with him, bloody elves…" Ralof spat, earning a faint sound of anger from Nhallyia.

"Not all elves are Thalmor, Nord."

"Oh," he started, scratching the back of his head, "right… Sorry."

The carts started to halt, stopping in a line next to a clearing that held… By Sithis… A headsman's block…

"What? Why are we stopping?" Lokir, the dirty ragged man, asked, eyes darting franticly.

"Why do you think? End of the line…" Ralof stated, growling slightly.

"What? NO! They can't do this! You've got to tell them that we weren't with you!"

"Face your death with some courage, thief!"

The prisoner's were all herded into lines to be called off. _'Just like sheep…' _Nhallyia mused, leaning on a hip, _'Funny, because we're about to get hacked up like sheep as well…' _

The ghastly woman in front of them started calling names, and Ralof made a rather snide comment about " The Empire loving their damn lists"…

_Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak of Windhelm_

_Ralof of Riverwood_

_Lokir of Rorikstead_

Lokir, being foolish as usual, yelled out, "You. Can't. Do. This! I'm not a rebel! You're not going to kill me!"

He ran as fast as a man in binds could, which, is not very, and fell to the arrows the archers fired at him.

Although Nhallyia disliked the man greatly, she felt a lump form in her throat.

"You," the man holding the list gestured the ebony-haired elf, "come here."

She took a few steps closer as Ahria gave her a look on the verge of tears, her cute lips turned down at the edges.

"Who," he started, studying her face carefully, "are you?"

She whispered, her voice pained, "Nhallyia Tass'Lyienn of Vlanderfall, Valenwood."

"And you?" he asked, pointing at Ahria.

"Ahria Kaslienn of Aruda, Hammerfell."

He turned to what Nhallyia assumed was his superior with a completely unreadable expression.

"What should we do? They're not on the list."

"Forget the list, they go to the block."

Nhallyia and Ahria made their way to the circle around the headsman's block, but not before Nhallyia shot the female captain a glare that all but screamed 'You'll regret this.'

* * *

The priestess was in the middle of saying the last rights, when a Stormcloak soldier interrupted her, irritably saying, "By Talos, let's get this over and done with!"

"As you wish," she spat, attempting to gain composure.

He stood before the stone block bravely, not even flinching as the bitch of a captain shoved him onto his knees.

"Hurry up," he started, struggling to talk with a face full of bloodied stone, "I haven't got all morning."

The executioner lifted the huge axe he held, and with a whipping sound, brought it down, severing the man's head. It rolled into the basket as blood sprayed all over the first row of prisoners. _'Splash zone, much?' _Nhallyia thought grimly.

"_**YOU IMPERIAL BASTARDS**_!" A Stormcloak woman shrieked, tears rushing down her face.

"Poor Alma... No-one should loose a brother like that…" Ralof mourned, shaking his head sadly.

'_Brother? By Sithis, these heartless bastards!' _

"_Justice!_" and Imperial yelled, "Death to the Stormcloaks," another shouted.

"Next," the woman surveyed the crowd, her eyes lingering on the elf for a moment too long, filled with pure hatred, "the young wood-elf."

Nhallyia stepped up to the block with her head held high, striding proudly and merely leaning in on a hip as the Imperial woman wrenched her head back by her ebony locks.

"This is justice," the ghastly bitch growled, "we're saving Skyrim from your filth."

Nhallyia scoffed, "This, justice? This is anything but justice, Imperial. This is murder."

A wave of deadly silence washed over the crowd, both sides in shock.

"You'll regret that, you little bitch," she pulled on the elf's hair with far more force then necessary, pushing her onto the block.

"Sithis take you, Imperial scum."

A disembodied roar sounded from the hills, shaking the ground and making everyone, Stormcloak, Imperial and civilian look up into the sky.

"What was that?" asked a man.

"Nothing, carry on," the woman kicked Nhallyia in the side, hard, making her wince in pain.

The roar sounded again, this time louder.

"There it is again…" a woman stated.

The axe-man raised his tool of death, and Nhallyia stared at the severely chipped block, almost feeling the broken dreams and shattered hearts radiating off of it.

"_**NHALLYIA! YOU CAN'T DO THIS**_!" Ahria screamed.

Another roar, this one sent a crystal shard flying through her brain and rattled her mind.

"What-"a Stormcloak started, but was cut off by a huge lizard-like creature landing on the tower next to the execution.

"_**DRAGON**_!"

The axe came down, and, with speed she didn't know she had, Nhallyia twisted so instead of separating her beloved head from her body, it cut through her binds.

The dragon shouted words in a different tongue, making the ground shake. It laid it's eyes on her, burning with deadly hatred.

"_**DOVAHKIIN**_!"

With an uncharacteristic, girlish scream, and Ahria nowhere in sight, Nhallyia did the only thing that went through her mind.

She ran.


	4. Blackened Blood

**A:N**  
**The end of this chapter is quite amusing and uncharacteristic because I had one of my best friends staring at me like a complete weirdo! :D**  
**Disclaimer: Bethesda owns the Elder Scrolls universe, but I swear I will kill them and take it from their corpses... **  
**_Anyway_, read on, and review. Or else *holds up knife* **

Woe to the traveler, who comes upon the fire. The bones of the dead Scattered around. Woe to the warrior, wanting a crown. Tell me, listener, are you listening with glee? Do you hope to see them?

The words. Those words.

She remembered listening to them when she was young, sitting around the fire with her hopeful, gleeful face turned up to her adoptive mother.

She still remembered the heat upon her neck from the fire, and she would often imagine it to be a dragons flame. The other girls in the brothel would laugh at the stories, think them small legends. But Ahria? She thought them real, and she shook with the urge to see one.

As she got older, she heard more from the men in the inn. She had came accustomed to their dunk stories, telling of figures in the dark and giant birds in the sky.

Again, the other girls thought them nothing but tales of a drunk man. And now, every tale, every word, every look of fear in the mans eyes came racing back.

She again felt the heat of the burning brothel against her back…_The dragon's fire, the dragon's flame, scales like scythes, Alduin's bane_…

All the emotions and feelings came rushing into her with like a waterfall. The dragon, with a mighty flap of its gigantic wings, leapt into the air and came racing down to earth. The guards where frozen in mid stance, staring at the beast. They didn't stand still for long though, in one swift move the dragon opened its maw and released a giant spurt of fire, that seared the air like lava from a newly erupted volcano... Like magic from Nhallyia's hands…

The guards screamed and scattered, like skeevers.

Ahria saw Nhallyia twist and leap up, faster and more gracefully then any other mortal being she had ever seen, and, for a moment, she felt hope rise in her being.

It was vanquished.

The dragon looked directly at the elf and, with a roar, shouted, "_**DOVAHKIIN!**_"

Nhallyia, for the first time Ahria had ever seen, screamed. It was a high-pitched, glassy sound that sent a crystal shard of pain through her head.

Just as she was about to run to her, Ahria felt hands tug at her wrist and the bonds came lose. She turned around swiftly to see Ralof smiling at her.

"Free," He said, the corner of his mouth turned upwards slightly more, and his eyes turned almost dreamy like, as if he was tasting wine.

"Free?" Ahria started, looking up into the sky, "not yet."

The giant beast turned towards them. Instincts she didn't know she had took over, and she felt her whole body shiver as the adrenalin rushed into her, like a large wave crashes into a beach.

She was used to the adrenalin that fear brought on, because she got scared too easily.

But now she was different, her eyes took on a predatory darkness, looking at the landscape around her like a hawk.

Instantly, she saw the broadsword lying on its side, abandoned by a guard. She sprinted over it, the smell of ash heavy in the air, and swept it up with her hands.

The sword was heavy, and its hilt slick with blood from an unknown source, though it felt oddly comforting in her hands and she raised it to guard her face, seeing her own reflection in the swords length.

She faltered, her hair was matted with dirt and the paint on her cheeks had almost disappeared, blood ran down a side of her head from where she had gotten hit and her mouth was pressed in a thin, hard line… She looked just like something she had seen before… A statue of some type…

She had no more time to look at her self, because at that moment the beast turned and flew to them. Ralof was commanding people and Ahria, in her desperate attempt to grab the sword, had been separated from the group.

But that did not stop the dragon from seeing her. It was eyeing Nhallyia, who was looking more akin to a blur than an elf at the speed she was running.

The dragon let out a flurry of frost over her best friend, who shrieked one again, leaping up and scaling the wall of the keep before jumping off the other side. How, she did it, Ahria would never know.

'_She's half fucking monkey, that's how.' _

"Come with me, the others can fight this dragon by themselves. I have had enough of this town to last me a life time." Ralof shouted over the deafening screams, glancing at her body.

"Go get some clothes out of there. It's the guard barracks." He nodded to a tower over to the left of the road, still untouched by the dragons fire.

She nodded and hastily ran over to it, her legs burning with exhaustion. The house was made from dark wood and when entered, you could see deer and bear heads hanging on the wall. Slowly and carefully, she stepped in.

With the door closed, the room was almost silent. The battle outside muffled, with only the occasional roar and heavy thud.

There were two levels to the barracks, the bottom one with a kitchen and dining area, and the top with beds and wardrobes.

It took Ahria mere minutes to find the guard's clothes, which she slipped into easily, the chest piece warm on her skin. She took a belt as well, strapping it onto her hips and wrapped several other garments onto her dark skin.

They were slightly baggy on her, the guards stomachs where used to more meals then her, so the clothes bulged out at odd angles, making her look like a lumpy potato.

She growled when a bought of exhaustion hit her and her shoulders started to sag slightly. Slowly, she shut the guards wardrobe door and started walking back to the house door.

That was when she heard it. The creak of a floor board, that was not hers. She froze, mid step. Suddenly, the air seemed to fill with ill tension, and in an instant, she knew that she was not alone.

A fist connected smartly into her cheek, and a leg came around and tripped her over.

Cursing and again wishing she had the grace of Nhallyia, she fell to the floor, her hand outreached in other foolish attempt to stop herself from falling. With a brutal snap, she heard her arm break, and she screamed out in pain, rolling over to face her attacker while clutching her arm, tears prickling her eyes.

Above her stood the woman she had seen earlier, the one who's brother had died. At first she didn't understand why she would be attacking Ahria, but when the lady spat the next words, realization hit her in the stomach like a bad meal.

"You little bitch. You took my brother away from me. And now I will take your life!"

Ahria scrambled for her sword with frantic fingers, but the blood made her grip slip and the crazed Stormcloak soldier saw what she was doing and struck her hard in the stomach with her foot. Ahria groaned and coughed, "Listen, I didn't kill your brother. I am not part of the Imperial Legion, I am only dressed as one"

The woman would have none of it and instead she turned Ahria over, wrapping some cloth over Ahria's wrist and tying it tightly. She tired to kick the attacker away, but she then proceeded to bind her ankles.

The half-Nord was dragged her to her feet, "And the final piece," the lady took out a handkerchief and wrapped it around the girl mouth.

"I didn't kill him! I didn't kill him!" She screamed as the gag came around her mouth.

The ghastly lady smiled and said, "I don't like liars."

'_And I don't like murderers'_ Ahria glared back at her, the words burning unsaid on her tongue.

The gag tasted funny, like salt and blood, but she couldn't think of where it came from, because the Stormcloak woman took her by the hair and dragged her to some god for bidden place for some god forbidden thing. She tried to scream, she really did, but her pitiful cries could not be heard over the roar of the dragons and the gag.

* * *

Ahria's P.O.V

My head lolled to the side as the blood was fed to me.

It burned…

It burned so badly!

It turned me…

I lost control…

The fur, so much fur!

The woman… I ripped her to shreds…

Weeks, I wondered aimlessly in the woods…

Or was it months?

Perhaps years, I didn't know anymore.

A sound, was that leaves crumbling?

Yes… I could see alabaster white and ebony moving through the trees…

Yet, I couldn't smell any life…

Only a strange mix of spice and moonlight.

A voice, I recognized that voice…

"Ahria?" it cooed softly, "Ahria? Is that you?"

That voice… It was lightly accented, and flowed like water and was as warm as mead on a winters day but as cold as ice at the same time…

Someone I knew, someone I should remember…  
Who was I, again?

Ah, that's right. Ahria, that's my name.

N… It's something beginning with N…

Nhallyia! That's it!

"Nhallyia?" I asked weakly, shivering in the cold.

But something was wrong…

Very, very wrong.

She stepped out, into the moonlight.

That was when I saw it.

Her eyes, they held a hatred I never knew anyone capable of, and glowed un unholy red, instead of their previous golden and lavender.

One word went through my head.

'_Vampire'_

I did the only thing the beast inside of me told me to.

I attacked.

But, the worst possible thing to do when you're weak and starved…

Is to attack a fucking vampire.


	5. A Bloody Reunion

**A:N  
****So sorry for the long wait guys! School's a bitch. This one's probably worth an M rating for violence and language... But, it's Nhallyia... So yeah. Expect this often. **  
**Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed! I LOVE YOU! **  
**And, thanks to blossomsarefalling, sillystring-roxs-the-earth and mia78 for following!**  
**Love you guys! **  
***moves closer***  
**In a weird way... **  
**Also, to all those other readers, *glares* **  
**THERE'S OVER THREE HUNDRED OF YOU! **  
**TALK TO ME PEOPLE! **  
***Demands reviews* **  
**Disclaimer: I only own Ahria and Nhallyia and the strange pedoey dude at the start!**

Nhallyia shivered, wrapping her arms around herself.  
She had been walking for _days_. Perhaps longer. All she knew was that she was exhausted and hungry. The world around her was a spinning mess.

A voice erupted from the shadows, "A little late for such a beautiful girl to be wondering the woods, isn't it?"

The voice was strange… It drew her towards it… She knew it was not safe, but she couldn't help herself.

"It is, indeed, very late…" she started sleepily, yawning, "Do you, perhaps, know somewhere I could stay the night?"

A shadowy man stepped from the trees… He was very attractive, with dark hair and pale skin… But his eyes, they were not the eyes of a mortal. They glowed an unholy red, seemingly pulsing in the darkness of the gloom-filled night.

"I'm just heading home…" he started, grinning, "I have a spare room… You could stay with me."

Her mind screamed no, but the idea of a warm bed and a fire was so welcoming…

"Mmmm… That would be nice," the elf yawned again, stretching her arms.

The strange man's smile widened, revealing fangs. Alarm bells started to sound in her head, but she couldn't move a muscle. She tried to scream as he advanced upon her, but all that came out was an incoherent mumble.

"Hush hush, sweetheart… Fighting the paralysis makes it stronger."

Her mind screamed out, UNSAFE! But her body refused to move, to run. This man was powerful… If he could entrap Nhallyia…

He wrapped a strip of cloth around her mouth, then her eyes… With a whisper, her body went limp and her world went completely black, and for one of the first times in her life, she did not only lack her vision.

* * *

_**Nhallyia's P.O.V**_

I felt the pull of binds on my wrists, the bite of rope around my ankles… This, was not good.

"Finally awake?" I heard the shadowy man speak, untying the blindfold over my eyes.

I kept silent, choosing glaring at him icily rather than speaking.

"Very well. Be silent," he waved me off, as if I were an insect bothering him.

My glare intensified as he approached me, a sly grin on his face.

"I was waiting for you to wake before I did this," he growled, a beastlike noise rumbling through his chest, but I kept my head up high. The worst thing to do to a predator is to let them know that you're afraid, "Something as beautiful as you has no right to not be scarred. Broken. You are too perfect. I intend to change that. But not with looks, no, those, you will retain, but you will be shunned… Abandoned by society…"

With unnatural speed, the man wrenched my head to the side, hissing, "I have been following you for a long time, Nhallyia. Before even the brothel. You were a perfect target… A perfect slave."

I felt a blinding pain in my neck, and my body once again went limp. It felt _horrible_, as if my very soul was being ripped from my body and displayed before me.

It felt… Draining.

A flash of pain tore across my side, making me double over in a vain attempt to curb it. The shadowman laughed, a sound filled with hate and malice.

My senses once again started to fade, and it felt like I had cotton wool stuffed into my ears. Everything I heard was muffled, my pain numbed slightly and my bones powder.

"Get… Off… Of… Me…" I managed, writhing in an attempt to push him off.

At least I could now move, but it still felt as if my body was covered in a thin, cloudy film, everything I did hindered.

The draining stopped, and the shadowman leant back slightly to look at me, his crimson eyes studying me analytically.

"You spoke," he stated, puzzled.

"I did indeed…" I retorted, equally confused by his statement.

He growled, and faltered slightly. I took my chance eagerly, bringing up my legs and smirking as they connected with his crotch, causing him to double over, leaving me an opening to knee him in the face, as it was now lowered.

He howled in pain and stumbled backwards, clutching his bloody nose.

The film had been warded away by the adrenaline that now pumped readily through my veins, supplying me with strength and speed.

The rope snapped as I wrenched my hands apart, and I used the fire in which now blazed in my palms to burn the rope that bound my ankles.

Standing, I flashed grin at the shadowman, laced readily with lunacy, eliciting a gaze filled with both fear and awe.

"You could have been so powerful," he murmured, shaking his head. "You could have been _mine_, Nhallyia. I know your parents, I could still bring you to them, if you would just back down and let me make you mine."

I growled, but it came out more a hiss than anything, "You know nothing. My parents are dead."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Little Bird," he stated, keeping his composure, although I could see it wearing, "Ah, by that look, I can tell you remember that name, don't you, Birdy?"

I realized I was glaring, but did nothing to rectify it. Little Bird, it was a name from a long time ago, given to me by my mother, who loved birds. Especially ravens, which is what Nhallyia meant in Bosmeri, my native tongue.

My dagger flashed, and in an instant, I had him pinned against the wall, steel at his throat.

"What do you know of my mother?" I asked forcefully, eyes narrowed.

"Many, many things, Little Bird. I intend to tell you none unless you simply stop fighting and succumb. It's that simple," he stuck his hand out, and smiled, though it was quite obviously fake, "Deal?"

I didn't have to think about it. At all.

My dagger dragged across his throat, and I watched in awe as his life force spilled out, covering both him and myself.

"No deal," I whispered, throwing the dagger down and smirking as it imbedded itself in his skull, "And, I am anything but perfect."

* * *

Walking through the woods again.

Oh, such fun is the life of me.

Or, lack thereof, in my case.

I saw movement to my side, and heard a pained grunt, then a curse. But the voice… It was all too familiar.

_Ahria._

"Ahria?" I asked, voice soft and careful, "Ahria? Is that you?"

She looked worse for wear, though I could only imagine I looked the same. Her blonde hair was matted and dirty, as was her skin, and her green eyes now burned like fire, where they were once soft and forest-like.

"Nhallyia?" she seemed not to believe it, and her eyes darted about warily.

I shouldered my way through the bushes and into the open, smiling.

But that smile faded quickly.

Ahria, at first, appeared to be terrified of me… But that changed quickly.

Her lip curled into a snarl, making me back away slowly, but the movement triggered something, and she leapt.

"_**AHRIA**_!" I screamed, trying to hold her back.

I heard the crack of bones, then the popping of joints moving position. Ahria's back seemed to cave in on itself, and coarse hair began to move its way to the surface of her skin…

She was changing. Into what, gods knew.

I cried out and moved backwards, my back hitting a tree and forbidding that I move any further.

The beast that had taken Ahria's place snarled and snapped it's mighty jaws at me, causing me to flatten myself into the tree hoping to put more distance between us.

It stalked forwards until there was mere inches between us, and I could feel its damp breath on my face.

She opened her jaws, revealing rows of huge, sharp teeth… Teeth that made my face loose what little color it had retained.

But, she was not the only one with fangs.

My lip lifted and my fangs lengthened, now far longer than even hers.

Baring my teeth, I dived forwards, barreling the beast out of my path, but not before it slashed at my face, striking a large laceration across my cheek.

I hissed, summoning flames in my hand and waving them in warning at her.

"Step no closer," I spat, growling slightly, "Or I shall have roasted dog for dinner."


End file.
